Natural Vs Lab-Created Gemstones :
What Are the Difference
While purchasing gemstones, whether in jewellery or for investment purposes, you come across two options – natural gemstones or lab-created gemstones. Knowing the difference between natural gems and lab gemstones is essential to making your choice meet your expectations as per your need and budget. Although they look similar, the key difference between them is that lab-grown are created in the laboratory, and they are artificial, whereas genuine gemstones are mined from the crust of the earth.
In the market, you come across numerous choices when choosing between lab-grown diamonds or genuine gemstones. Let us help you know the difference between natural and lab-grown gemstones in this blog. However, If you are looking to purchase natural gemstones, relying on well-known brands like KGK Group will help you get the best in class precious and genuine gemstones. Without further ado, let’s dive into their differences.
Natural Gemstones
Natural gemstones are mined from the crust of the earth. They undergo extreme heat and pressure in the crust of the earth for a couple of hundred thousand years to form gemstones. They are naturally formed on the earth’s surface without human intervention and are rare. Natural gems like diamonds, sapphire, emeralds, rubies etc., are not treated superficially and retain their originality and are also known as genuine gemstones. Because they are rare, they are expensive and hard to find.
At KGK Group, you will find world-class natural gems under the brand name Entice. Natural diamonds are directly sourced from the mines in South Africa and organized markets in Antwerp, and London. We offer you the finest diamonds in the world that are rare and natural. And the other authentic gemstones like emeralds, rubies, and sapphires are sourced from mines in Columbia, Brazil, Zambia, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania. These precious gemstones are then cut and polished at our factories in India, China, and Thailand. Then they are crafted into fine jewellery in the company’s manufacturing units in India, China, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Therefore, your search for the finest natural gemstones will end at KGK Group.
Lab-Created Gemstone
The lab-grown gemstones, also known as synthetic stones, are grown in the laboratory. These synthetic gems have the same chemical composition as natural gemstones. With technological and scientific advancements, lab-grown diamonds or gemstones are created in the laboratory, having the same look as genuine gems. It requires only a couple of weeks to develop them in the lab, unlike natural ones. Therefore, they are not as expensive as natural gemstones that take billions of years to form and are rare.
There are many processes through which synthetic gems are grown or created in the lab. Lab-grown gemstones are made in the lab under high temperature and pressure, and they have similar physical and chemical properties like natural gems. And there is another method as well used in growing synthetic stones called chemical vapour deposition. These gemstones are grown in layers in the chambers, similar to natural gemstones formation in nature. Furthermore, because they are readily available, they are affordable and suffice the purpose if you are low on budget.
How to Distinguish Between Natural Gemstones & Lab-Created Gemstones
Because of the same properties, it is hard to distinguish lab gemstones from natural gemstones. A naked eye could find no visible difference between the two. Even a professional gemologist will need specific equipment to see which is natural and which is synthetic. However, certifications will help you distinguish between the both and their price, on the condition that you choose to buy from reputed jewellers.
The Best Option to Choose
The answer to which is the best option to select – natural gemstones or lab-created gemstones depends on you. If you are looking for affordable gems, you can opt for lab gemstones. However, if you are looking for something rare, precious, and of significant value, go for natural gems. The critical difference arises when it comes to buying it for investment purposes. When it comes to natural diamonds, they retain 50% of their original value when you sell them. However, it is impossible to sell lab-created diamonds; they fetch you nil value.